Several football enthusiasts from Tampines decided to form a football club in 1945. After many name changes, they finally decided on "Tampines Rovers" as the official club name. The Stags spent the 1950s and 1960s competing in the Singapore Amateur Football Association League, where they were among the top teams, until they were placed in Division II of the newly formed National Football League in 1974. 1975 was a watershed year for Tampines, as they were promoted to Division I after winning all their league matches and reached the President's Cup final, where they lost 0-1 to the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association in front of a national record crowd of 30,000. They continued to challenge for honours for the next decade, reaching another President's Cup final in 1978, then emerging as national champions in 1979, 1980 and 1984. The Stags were relegated to the second tier in 1988, but under a new management team, won their league in 1994, and were one of eight clubs selected to compete in the newly formed S.League.[2]

However, Tampines did not finish higher than sixth place in the first six seasons of the S.League. In 2002, the Stags secured the services of Malaysian coach Chow Kwai Lam,[3] who guided them to the Singapore Cup and two fourth-place finishes.[4] Under the next coach, Vorawan Chitavanich, Tampines achieved the S.League and Singapore Cup double in 2004.[5] The following season, they successfully defended their S.League title, were named the 'S.League Team of the Decade' and became the first Singapore team to win the ASEAN Club Championship.[6] The Stags were Singapore Cup champions in 2006, but finished runners-up to SAFFC in the S.League.[7][8] The Stags was also the champion of S-League in 2011 and 2012. They were also runner-up in the 2012 Singapore Cup after losing 1-2 to SAFFC.

On 20 October 2013, the Stags were announced as the 2013 S.League champions after closest challengers Albirex were beaten 1-2 by Balestier Khalsa. Albirex, left on 40 points, were unable to catch Tampines on 52. The Stags were then given the trophy on 26 Oct 2013 after the 1-1 draw against Tanjong Pagar.

Tampines' head coach Nenad Baćina was sacked just days before the first round of the RHB Singapore Cup after disappointing results in the AFC Cup and the club General Manager Tay Peng Kee took charge. The Stags were eliminated in the first round after losing 2-1 against Hougang United despite having beaten them 3-0 in the league just days ago. Many supporters were furious at the result and the club's decision to sack Baćina. Some even stopped attending games for some time.

Since 2012, Tampines Rovers have played their home games at the Clementi Stadium, as their traditional home ground, the Tampines Stadium (opened 1 April 1989), is being replaced by the Tampines Town Hub. The stadium had a grass football pitch, an 8-lane running track and partial athletic facilities. The stadium can hold up to 4,000 spectators. The stadium is currently managed by the Singapore Sports Council(SSC).

The Yellow Brigade is the official supporting group for the club. It is one of the largest supporters group in the S.League dedicated to the club. They are also known for its fanaticism and their support towards the club. The Yellow Brigade main colour is black and yellow with mainly yellow football Scarf and Yellow Banners to represent the beloved colour of the club. They will also appear at the Clementi Stadium for the home match. The Yellow Brigade also bring drums, trumpet and flags to every match.

The 1996 season of the S.League was split into two series. Tiger Beer Series winners Geylang United defeated Pioneer Series winners Singapore Armed Forces in the Championship playoff to clinch the S.League title.

2003 saw the introduction of penalty shoot-outs if a match ended in a draw in regular time. Winners of penalty shoot-outs gained two points instead of one.